Improvement in hoop-skirts



UNITED STATES PATENT Orricnw HENRY COOK, OF CHEETHAM HILL, MANCHESTER, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

lMPROVEMENT IN .HOOP-SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,517, dated October 22, 1861.

T0 all whom it may concrn:

Be itknown that I, HENRY COOK, gentleman, of Oheetham Hill, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, have invented an Improvement in the Manufaeture of Crinoline; and I do hereby deelarc that the following is a full and exaet description of my said invention.

My invention of an improvement in the manufaeture of crinoline consists in con- `strueting the material in a wavy form (thus AVAVA) instead of perfectly flat, as is now the case. By this means when the crinoline is formed into rings and made up in the usual manner the folds of the dress will fall gracefully over the wavy line instead of being bulged out and broken by the fiat unbroken curves of the present fashion of crinoline.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a petticoat-framing constructed of crinoline-steel made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the wavy outline of the rings of erinoline of which the pett-ieoat-framing is mainly eoniposed.

a a a are the rings,iwhieh in the drawings are eleven in number; but any larger or smaller number may be used, if desired. The crinoline-rings are sustained in their place by means of tapes or bands b b, attached at their upper ends to the uppermost ring a' and at the bottom to the lowermost ring a. It will be seen on referring to the plan view that the curves or Waves in all the crinolinerings are proportionate to the diameter of the ring, hut are all of the same charaeter and constructed on the same principle.

I will now explain in what way I proceed in order to obtain 01' produce the curves shown in the plan view, and whichI conceive to be the curves which will impart a graceful and fiowing` appearance to an outcr garment when supported by a petticoat-framing constrncted of crinoline of the description shown in the drawings. 1 first decide the number of rings which I intend to use and the diameter which it is proposed to give to the largest or lower-most one. These rings, which are of gradually-decreasing diameter, are suspended equidistant from each other on tapes or cords attached by their ends to the topmost and lowermost rings. Having fixed the diameter which it is proposed to give to' the rings be tween the top and bottoin of the petticoat, I

'earefully strike on a board and from one common center a number of circles of the desired diameters and required numbers, as

shown by the fine circles in Fig. 2. The next thing` is to determine the number of Waves whichitisintendedtogive totheringsthroughout the circumference. This settled, the circles are to be divided by radial lines into the required number of parts-say twelve-as indicated by the fine unbroken radial linesc c, Fig. 2. Theintersections of these radial lines c c with the fine concentrie eircles already made Will give the central points of the salient curves of all the rings. The spaces between the radial linesc care then each divided into two equal parts, and other radial lines are drawn from the center to the circumference, as indicated by the broken lines (Z d. The spaces between the unbroken radiallines c c and the broken radial lines (Z d are further divided into equal parts, and other radial lines are drawn from the center to the circumference, as indicated by the dotted lines e e, which will indicate the limits orextremities of the salient curves. These salient curves are each produced by plaeing one leg' of a compass on one of the points of intersection of the radial lines c c with the circlesas, for instance, at all-and with the other leg` marking off on the same linec, at a suitable distance from a, the point aw, and then from the said point C010 striking` a curve which will extend to the dotted radial lines e c on each side of the line o. All of the salient curves in all the rings are of the same radius, but are limited in length by the dotted lines c The re-entering curves are produced by comnieneing with the same length of radius and placing the stationary leg of the compass on the point of intersection between the broken radial lines with the red circles and opening the Compass to the distance between aw and a, then striking a curve which will extend to the yellow radial lines on each side of the center. All the other salient curves in all the rings are of the same radius, but are limited in length by the yellow radial lines. The re-entering curves are produced by co mrnene ing` with the same length of radius and placing' the stationary leg of the Compass on the point of intersection between the black radial lines and the outermost eircle a. The e.\'- tremities of a re-entering' eurve produoed in t'iis manner will be found to join the extren1ities of the outermost salient eurves produeed in the manner just explained, and in order to produce the reentering curves of the other rings itwill only be necessary to keep the stationary leg on the same point and open the compa-sses so as to join the extremities of the adjacent or neighboring salient curves. It will thus be seen that the re-entering' ourves of each fiute of the pettiooat are all struok from the same center, and consequently as theyapproaeh-the central or waist part of the petticoat they become fiatter and fiatter. The wavy or eurved rings of crinoline are secured to the Vertical bands or tapes by sewing or in any other eonvenient manner, such as that now adopted in analogous cases.

I Would here observe that although I have given a detailed explanation of the manner in which I propose to generate the curves or Waves of the crinoline, and which I consider will give the most satisfactory and graceful result, I do not mean or intend to confine myself to these or any particular eurves, as the size, number, and arrangement of these curves or Waves must be left in some measure to individual taste. I will onlysay, therefore, that in order to impart a `g'raceful and easy .flow lo the outer robe or garment I eonsider it ad visable to proportion the curves or Waves to the inereasing or (liminishing` diameter of the ring's of erinoline. The desired wavy or Curved appearance may bo given to the crinohne-steel either by dies of the required form or by passing' it when in a suitable state between corrugated rollers, and afterward hardeuing' and tempering' it in the usual mauner.

I'Iaving' now deseribed my invention of an improvement in the manufaoture of erinoline, and having,` explained the manner of carrying' the same into effeet,I elaim as my invention- The use of crinoline or steel or other suitable material of a Wavy or corrugated form iu the manufaeture of pettiooats or skirts, as herein Set forth.

In witness Whereof I, the said HENRY COOK,

have hereunto set my hand and seal the 13th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1861.

HENRY oooK. [n 

